This disclosure relates to a gas turbine engine, and more particularly to a buffer system that can communicate a buffer supply air to one or more portions of the gas turbine engine.
Gas turbine engines typically include at least a compressor section, a combustor section and a turbine section. During operation, air is pressurized in the compressor section and is mixed with fuel and burned in the combustor section to generate hot combustion gases. The hot combustion gases are communicated through the turbine section which extracts energy from the hot combustion gases to power the compressor section and other gas turbine engine modes.
Gas turbine engines typically include shafts that support a plurality of airfoil supporting rotors of the compressor section and the turbine section. Generally, these shafts are supported by bearing structures that define bearing compartments. The bearing compartments house one or more bearings and contain lubricant that is used to lubricate the bearings. The lubricant is contained within the bearing compartment by one or more seals. A predetermined differential pressure must be maintained across the seals so the lubricant cannot leak past the seals.